


Get it back to good

by tickedtabbyflower



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-26
Updated: 2015-01-26
Packaged: 2018-03-09 03:06:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3233963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tickedtabbyflower/pseuds/tickedtabbyflower
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daniel ran after an epic fight over Armand's past. Will light shed on the subject help them to get closer?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Get it back to good

It was pouring in the city he'd flown into. His ashen blonde hair was soaked. The fight between him and Armand had been intense and of epic proportion, which took a lot considering the fights they had before. He'd fled and it had now been about a month since he'd seen his demon companion. Armand had stood in the center of the room, yelling at him so loudly that the windows had actually rattled. He went into the first bar he found. His face almost fell when he realized it was more of a high society deal. "Sir, you can't be in here." A hand on his shoulder caused him to turn. "He's with me." Him and the waiter turned to see a tall blonde man standing there. He gulped, realizing this man wasn't human. The waiter left before he realized who he was looking at. "Marius?" The taller man nodded.

" So, Armand has told you about me. I'm rather surprised." Daniel shrugged "Actually,I found out about you by doing some of my own digging. I don't think Armand knows that I know about you." Marius smiled, beckoning him over to the corner of the bar. He ordered some Rum he hadn't heard of before and began. " Why is he so... unhappy all the time?" He hadn't meant for the question to be so harsh, but he'd already been drinking on the plane and the little filter he had was gone. "It seems like anything and everything I do just pisses him off! I find a picture I think he'd like from the Renaissance and buy it he tells me it's hideous and to get rid of it. I think he might want the company of his old friends and invite them down he says it's a nuisance and to not do it again, but if I leave him by himself he tells me he's lonely and then drags me around like a toy!" He'd kept his voice low at least. Marius had listened with what he took as slight humor and a lot of sincerity. Once he'd finished Marius looked past him with a little sigh. " It's because he's scared, Daniel. He has been for a long time. Any time something good comes he's only waiting in expectation for the other shoe to drop. His life... hasn't been the easiest and any happiness he did find always seemed to get abruptly ripped away from him, leaving him bruised. Be patient with him." He replied, pretending to take a drink of the beverage in front of him. Daniel could've swore he saw the contents lower, but dismissed it and went back to his own drink.

"Would you tell me about it?" He asked, curiosity perked. He'd been constantly berating Armand about his past, using every technique in the book and then some of his own to get something out of his redheaded companion, but nothing had worked. Armand was like an oyster clamped tight over the pearl it protected. He felt he'd actually kill the vampire if he ever did break him enough to get to that pearl.   
Marius sat there quietly, making him wonder if he had decided to ignore the question or was thinking about it. Finally, he spoke up. " When I made him we didn't get much of a chance at happiness. He was forcefully taken away from me and thrown into a very dark existence. Many of his insecurities have to do with me. Understand that he thought me dead and probably still does. I don't know if I'll ever be able to make him understand.." Daniel stared at him before realizing what he was being told. " You didn't go after him?" The vampire stayed silent, but his eyes spoke volumes.   
He thought about the new information, about how he'd feel if Armand left him in a dire situation to fend for himself, or if Armand had been killed. He sighed. " Dammit." " Be patient with him, Daniel. I'm only telling you this so you can understand the pain his past brings him." The reporter nodded, seeing Armand in a slightly different light.  
As he headed down the street he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and turned. There, leaning against the entrance of the hotel he'd booked last night, was Armand. Dark amber eyes caught violet. Silence reigned between them as Daniel contemplated what he'd been told, feeling that Armand hadn't invaded his mind yet. He hugged the vampire and sighed. " I'm sorry." He whispered.  
His companion seemed startled by the reaction before gently hugging him back. " I was sure you would still be angry at me." Armand replied, albeit suspicious. "I wish you would open up to me, but I'm beginning to think there are reasons you haven't, reasons that are too much for you to talk about for the moment,so I'll leave you alone on the subject." Daniel replied in a sigh, slightly slurring his words. He felt the presence of his lover surround his mind before filling it. He blocked the thoughts of what he'd learned as best he could before shifting his focus.  
"You found something on me." There was no question in that, only the realization that the redhead had caught a glimpse of what he tried so desperately to hide. "Yes." He choked, not breaking his gaze. "What did you find?" The tone was even, but he could feel the ice in those words. " Only that you've been seen through history and .. you were an orphan." He looked away. Armand didn't seem pleased with the answer. "Fine, keep it to yourself. As long as it keeps you from constantly blasting me with questions then I'll accept such for the moment." There was that fire he'd been waiting for and he sighed. "Let's not fight anymore tonight. I don't think I could handle it." He moaned, feeling the headache coming on from all the alcohol he'd drank. He was trying to remember something... Who had told him of Armand's past? He remembered meeting them at the bar, but nothing else.   
As Armand led him up the stairs, making sure he didn't fall or stumble in the process, something came back to him. " Be patient with him, Daniel. I'm only telling you this so you can understand the pain his past brings him." Indeed, the cherubic vampire could turn to the darkest devil when his past was mentioned.   
Once Armand had the door open and was leading him through it he grabbed his wrist, halting him in the doorway. " I am sorry, really. I don't remember everything but they told me your past brings you a lot of pain. I'm not asking you to discuss it with me, not right now. I just wanted you to know that I won't ask about it any more because now I understand why you don't want to talk about it. " His words were very slurred, the alcohol catching up to him. Armand twisted his wrist away. " Fine, but you reek of booze." Circling back behind him, he began pushing the blonde towards the bathroom. " Start the water. I'll be in once I have clothes laid out for you."   
Daniel sighed as the door was shut. Armand seemed to be taking it a little better, but he wasn't sure. He had promised not to talk about it, though, so he didn't. Armand came in, stripping his own clothes off before taking the shampoo in hand and lathering the blonde hair up with it. " Is this really necessary?" Daniel moaned. The alcohol was wearing off. He still had a buzz, but the headache that was forming was worse and killing the buzz he had. " Yes. You smell of alcohol and smoke." What the only reply he got as Armand turned him. As those cold hands washed out his hair he whispered once more "I'm sorry."   
The redhead audibly huffed at his companion. " I understand that, now will you please stop?" He knew he was being patient because of the fight. Even Armand knew it had been big for them. "I'm sorry, too." Violet eyes opened to see Amber ones downcast, red tears hanging at the corner of his eyes. " What? No, why would you.." " I wish I could tell you of my past, Daniel, but I can't. I haven't been able to speak of it and I cannot promise I ever will because of... " "...the pain it causes you." Daniel finished the sentence for him, remembering the words all too clearly. " I get it now. You shouldn't apologize for not wanting to talk about it, but I should for pressing you. Please, forgive me?" Armand looked up before wrapping his arms around the reporter.  
Daniel returned the embrace, the hot water running down his hair in rivulets before coursing down to his lover. " In time I hope you can talk of it, but for now let's not talk of it anymore." He whispered. Armand had a softer side he was seeing, not demanding or overbearing, just wanting some form of acceptance without a higher expectation. As he got dressed he thought over the words of the stranger, making a note to find him once more, if he could ever remember who it was, and thank him to giving him the insight. After all, it had brought him and the vampire closer.


End file.
